| 1 | 1 | | By: Hinojosa S.C.R. No. 41 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Filed April 11, 2011; April 13, 2011, read |
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| 3 | 3 | | first time and referred to Committee on Administration; |
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| 4 | 4 | | April 26, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, |
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| 5 | 5 | | Nays 0; April 26, 2011, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The lands and waters of Texas are home to a diverse |
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| 10 | 10 | | range of animals, and a select number of these species have been |
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| 11 | 11 | | recognized as official state symbols as a result of their |
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| 12 | 12 | | significance to our history and culture; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, A particularly rich natural environment is found |
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| 14 | 14 | | along the Texas Gulf Coast, and of the many distinctive plants and |
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| 15 | 15 | | wildlife found in that region, the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) |
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| 16 | 16 | | is particularly deserving of recognition; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Also known as the redfish and the bull red, this |
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| 18 | 18 | | majestic saltwater fish spends the first three years of its life in |
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| 19 | 19 | | bays along the coast before heading into the open waters of the Gulf |
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| 20 | 20 | | of Mexico; it also demonstrates the hardiness and adaptability so |
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| 21 | 21 | | often found in the Lone Star State, swimming up rivers on occasion |
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| 22 | 22 | | and also taking up residence in certain inland reservoirs; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of the |
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| 24 | 24 | | fish is its Texas-sized stature; at three years of age, the typical |
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| 25 | 25 | | red drum is two and a half feet long and will grow larger over the |
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| 26 | 26 | | course of its long life; the biggest red drum caught in Texas waters |
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| 27 | 27 | | was 54.25 inches long and weighed nearly 60 pounds; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, The fish's size, along with its power, speed, and |
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| 29 | 29 | | delicious flavor, has made it one of the most popular game species |
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| 30 | 30 | | in Texas waters; whether wading through the shallows, casting with |
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| 31 | 31 | | fly rods, or trying their luck in pier or surf fishing, anglers of |
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| 32 | 32 | | all types prize the red drum as a catch; as a result, the fish plays |
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| 33 | 33 | | an important role in boosting recreational tourism; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, In decades past, redfish also helped drive the |
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| 35 | 35 | | state's commercial fishing industry and at times made up as much as |
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| 36 | 36 | | 35 percent of its landings; overfishing and illegal netting took a |
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| 37 | 37 | | toll, however, and by the early 1980s the drum population had |
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| 38 | 38 | | dropped to dangerously low levels throughout the Gulf of Mexico; |
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| 39 | 39 | | fortunately, state officials responded to the situation by enacting |
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| 40 | 40 | | legislation and adopting wise management and enforcement measures, |
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| 41 | 41 | | including the development of a revolutionary hatchery; today, |
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| 42 | 42 | | numbers have rebounded to the point where the state has one of the |
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| 43 | 43 | | best red drum fisheries in the nation; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | WHEREAS, An environmental success story as well as an |
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| 45 | 45 | | awe-inspiring and much-sought-after resident of the Gulf Coast |
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| 46 | 46 | | waters, the red drum is a celebrated member of our natural world, |
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| 47 | 47 | | and it is indeed a fitting symbol of the Lone Star State; now, |
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| 48 | 48 | | therefore, be it |
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| 49 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 50 | 50 | | hereby designate the red drum as the official State Saltwater Fish |
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| 51 | 51 | | of Texas. |
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| 52 | 52 | | * * * * * |
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